The way Candace Raskin pictures it, Kindergarten Academy would have participating students going to school all day, just like their older brothers and sisters.

Wednesday, July 14, 1999

The way Candace Raskin pictures it, Kindergarten Academy would have participating students going to school all day, just like their older brothers and sisters. They would have the same holidays and ride the same buses. The major difference lies in the fee; parents would be required to pay an estimated $1,500 for the extra half day’s kindergarten tuition.

Raskin, the Cedar River Education District director of education services, explained the idea of an all-day kindergarten pilot program at the Austin Public School Board’s Tuesday meeting. The board has asked for a more comprehensive proposal at its April 21 board meeting. If approved, the pilot program would be offered through Community Education in the 1999-2000 school year, rather than through the district. The state of Minnesota doesn’t reimburse districts for all-day kindergarten programs.

The state does, however, give parents whose family income does not exceed $33,500 a dollar-for-dollar income tax refund of up to $1,000 per child. Parents of any child educated publicly, privately or at home qualify. As well, all families could claim the $1,500 as an educational tax deduction, even if their incomes are above $33,500.

Raskin also pointed out that, if parents are currently paying for childcare, the program could offset those costs.

Kindergarten Academy is not to be confused with the Title I extended day program for kindergartners who are likely to have problems with math and/or reading, Raskin said.

"The extended day program has some of the same elements, but it’s much more tutorial than Kindergarten Academy would be," Raskin said. "It would not be a duplication of the current kindergarten program. I see it as a different kind of experience: more relaxed, focusing more on social skills, the way I remember my kindergarten. Nowadays kindergartens are much more academically driven."

The pilot program, if approved, will run either one or two classes in the morning and afternoon, at Woodson School in the two classrooms currently used by Head Start.

School board member John Ulland expressed concerns about putting the program under the Community Ed umbrella.

"I don’t want to stake any more losses in the Community Ed budget," Ulland said.

Raskin reassured him that the program would be run on a break-even basis, as it is in the other districts that already have similar programs. In Faribault it’s called "Kinder-Links," and has been running for several years. The fee there is $1,225, which is less than Raskin anticipates for the Austin program, because the Faribault programs take place in each elementary school, which means no extra transportation costs. Three out of four Austin elementary schools don’t have room for any additional classes.

"We’re not going to reinvent the wheel here," Raskin said. "We’re looking at programs that are already successful in other districts."

Also at Monday’s meeting, Raskin introduced the board to the proposed elementary school day schedule for the 1999-2000 school year. The major differences will come before 8 a.m. Teachers will start their days at 7:45 a.m., which means students can start arriving at school then. Breakfast will be available form 7:45-8:05 a.m. and the playgrounds will be supervised at the same time.

"This will give us less stragglers from breakfast, and allow parents who start work at 8 a.m. more time to drop off their children or come in for a quick word with a teacher," Raskin explained.

Finally, bringing the district’s yearly expulsion total to 25, an AHS student was expelled for being on the school premises "under the influence of alcohol." The student was reported by the school liaison officer, Travis Heickley.